Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is an interesting time. It is one of those debates we have after a budget of the century and the Labor Party are desperately looking for something to talk about. It is interesting that the Labor Party have picked this area because it is an area where they have no child-care plan. We can have a bit of a history lesson as to where the Labor Party were, and I am happy to start with that.

Child-care costs rose at twice the rate under the Labor Party than they have under the Howard government. Labor provided only half the level of funding and number of places that are provided currently. Labor did not provide a child-care benefit or a child-care tax rebate. Labor opposed recent legislation to ensure that unused places could be more easily reallocated to areas of need. Their proposed amendment would have locked up places with providers who did not use them for over 12 months at a time, denying parents in need of a place. Mothers did not get too many choices under Labor, and I think that is where we should start this debate.

It is going to be interesting to hear Mr Beazley—for as long as he is going to be the leader of the Labor Party, and tonight could be his last hurrah. Presuming he goes on, it is going to be fascinating to see what Mr Beazley puts on the table for the people of Australia as his alternative plan.